Statewide weekend blitz one-year out from election
LNP Leader David Crisafulli has today launched a statewide blitz to share the LNP's blueprint for Queensland with communities across every corner of the State.
This weekend, the LNP will be out in force listening to Queenslanders and sharing the LNP’s Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future.
MPs, candidates and a sea of supporters will hit the road in a mass doorknocking campaign, road-siding, letterboxing, phone canvassing and attending community events.
Mr Crisafulli said he and his team were looking forward to listening to Queenslanders about their priorities and discussing the LNP’s blueprint for Queensland’s Future released last week.
“We’ve been listening to Queenslanders who tell us their priorities are cost-of-living, housing, youth crime and health – which is why these are also our priorities,” Mr Crisafulli said.
The five areas of focus in the LNP’s Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future are:
Mr Crisafulli said the LNP blitz kick-started the countdown until Queenslanders could show Labor the door in ’24.
“We’re hitting the road to share our blueprint for Queensland’s future and listen to Queenslanders’ experiences with the Queensland Health Crisis, the Queensland Housing Crisis, the Queensland Youth Crime Crisis and the cost-of-living crisis,” he said.
“The priorities of Queenslanders are our priorities.
“We’ve laid out our priorities for Queensland, we’re focused on the issues that matter most to Queenslanders and have put solutions on the table.
“We’ll continue listening to Queenslanders about their stories and experiences and look forward to sharing with them our commitment to a better future for Queensland.
“After nearly a decade in office, Labor has stopped listening to Queenslanders and now with 12 months to go until the next election, only the LNP has the right priorities for Queensland’s future.”
Queensland has lowest home ownership in nation
The Great Australian Dream is becoming a shocking nightmare in Queensland, with alarming new revelations young people believe they will never afford to buy their own home in Queensland.
The new Generations Defined Report reveals 63 per cent of Gen Z Queenslanders want to buy a home but just 47 per cent of them believe they can ever afford to.
Queensland has the lowest rate of home ownership of any state, at just 64 per cent, and just 35 per cent of Queenslanders aged 25-29 own their own home today.
After nearly a decade of this Labor Government, home ownership is becoming increasingly out of reach during the Queensland Housing Crisis.
After nearly a decade of this Labor Government, lot and building approvals have both declined by 30 per cent, sending rents and house prices soaring.
Shadow Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Home Ownership David Janetzki said every Queenslander should be able to aspire to owning their own home, which is why the LNP is prioritising home ownership.
“Queenslanders are losing hope in the Great Australian Dream of home ownership and the situation has never been more dire for young people wanting to purchase their first home,” Mr Janetzki said.
“Never before have so many young Queenslanders wanted to own a home, and never before have so many believed it is out of reach.
“This is not the future we should aspire to, which is why the LNP is committed to delivering a big boost into home ownership for Queenslanders.
“Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, which is why our priority is securing our housing foundations.
“Our priority is helping Queenslanders realise their dream of owning their own home, by improving housing affordability with more land supply and planning for the infrastructure and services to accommodate our growing population.
“The LNP is the party of home ownership, which is why an LNP Government will help Queenslanders into home ownership through tax relief, incentives, and land supply.
“We will prioritise opening up more land with supporting infrastructure giving more Queenslanders the opportunity to own their own home.
“We will prioritise building an incentive framework to support home ownership, examining areas including first home-owner grants and shared responsibility schemes.
“We will prioritise developing options to open up more land with supporting infrastructure to open up supply lines giving more Queenslanders more of an opportunity to own their own home.
“While it might not be everyone’s dream to own a home, an LNP government will make it more achievable for every Queenslander who wants to.”
Decade of Labor planning failures come home to roost
12-months on from Housing Summit, crisis deepens for Queenslanders
New data has revealed Queenslanders are facing the steepest rental increases in Australia, and the highest increase in rental costs in 14 years.
In the past year, the cost to rent a home in Queensland has skyrocketed a staggering 9.5 per cent, putting more pressure on already-stretched families according to figures just released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
In Queensland, it is less affordable to rent and more challenging to find a rental than ever before, after a decade of Labor’s failure to plan for our growing population.
Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Planning Jarrod Bleijie said the rental squeeze was the direct result of a decade of Labor failures.
“Queenslanders are paying the steepest rental increases in the nation, all because Labor has failed to release the land needed for new homes and build the infrastructure for our growing population,” Mr Bleijie said.
“The responsibility for the Queensland Housing Crisis sits squarely at the feet of this Labor Government, and in the past year they have done nothing to ease the rental squeeze.
“These alarming cost increases are further proof Queensland is experiencing a housing crisis unlike any other state, due to the chaos and crisis of Labor.
“Queenslanders are fed-up with this Government’s inaction and demanding detailed plans for where new homes will be built and how the infrastructure needed for them will be delivered.”
Shadow Minister for Housing Tim Mander said Queenslanders wanted their State Government to reduce cost-of-living pressures, not make them worse.
“At a time when more Queenslanders are struggling to get and keep a roof over their head, their priority is for government to ease cost pressures, but this Government has the wrong priorities.
“In the year since the Housing Summit, the Labor Government has failed to deliver any solutions or explain how they will ease the Housing Crisis.
“Families are now making difficult decisions about how to cut groceries and bills, simply to pay their rent and they want answers from their government.
“With the steepest rent rises in the nation, more Queenslanders are finding themselves priced-out of homes and relying on social housing that this Labor Government is failing to deliver.
“Already 40,000 Queenslanders are waiting for social housing and numbers will continue to grow as long as the Labor Government has the wrong priorities.
“Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s future, including securing our housing foundations by improving housing affordability with more land supply.
“An LNP Government would also prioritise developing plans to identify what services and infrastructure is needed to accommodate our growing population.
“The LNP has put solutions on the table to ease the Queensland Housing Crisis, including prioritising infrastructure partnerships with local government to unlock more land for housing, unleashing the community housing sector and setting KPIs and delivering social housing projects on-time and on-budget.”
Damning RTI reveals Labor out of ideas
The LNP has called on the Palaszczuk Labor Government to urgently adopt its policy to remove detention as a last resort from the Youth Justice Act after extraordinary documents revealed Labor admitted it has run out of youth crime policies.
Bombshell Right to Information (RTI) documents have exposed shocking admissions made by senior Labor Government figures they’ve used “almost everything in the cupboard” when it comes to policies designed to curb out of control youth crime in Queensland.
Shockingly, the 201 pages of RTI documents released by the LNP today show senior Labor figures admit the youth justice issues affecting Queenslanders “ain’t great” and “things are hotting up.”
The LNP has today demanded the Palaszczuk Labor Government also apologise for a series of out of touch comments regarding Queensland’s Youth Crime Crisis, including a text message that revealed the Premier was more focused on targeting community social media pages and rolling out media campaigns following the alleged murder of Emma Lovell.
Labor has also been caught cobbling together more policy on the run.
Documents revealed the Premier had still not approved the announcement of two new detention centres worth hundreds of millions of dollars, two hours before they were announced.
Premier had still not approved major measures costing hundreds of millions of dollars within two hours of the announcement.
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said the documents had unearthed what many Queenslanders already knew, the Palaszczuk Labor Government had run out of ideas to fix the Queensland Youth Crime Crisis.
“These documents are damning, and they paint a picture of chaos and crisis within the Labor Government,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“If Labor’s youth crime policy cupboard is bare then they must immediately adopt the LNP’s solutions.
“We have travelled the state and listened to Queenslanders, business owners, community groups and victims of crime.
“The LNP has the right priorities for Queensland’s future and has put solutions on the table to start tackling Queensland’s Youth Crime Crisis, including creating consequences for actions, unshackling the judiciary by removing detention as a last resort and delivering gold standard early intervention.
“Making our communities safer is a key priority for Queenslanders and would be a key priority of a future LNP Government.
“The Queensland Youth Crime Crisis was created by Labor when they watered down youth crime laws and created a generation of untouchables.
“Queenslanders deserve a government that has the right priorities for the future and these documents prove, that’s not Labor.”
Shadow Minister for Police Dale Last said the RTI documents were a stunning admission of failure.
“The Premier, her Ministers and senior Labor figures are at odds on how to fix the Queensland Crime Crisis,” Mr Last said.
“After nearly nine years in office, this tired, third-term government has admitted their 'ideas cupboard' is bare. This is an insult to Queenslanders.
“You’re more likely to get your car stolen in Queensland than anywhere else in the country, there are 204 fewer police officers on our streets, the laws are soft and Queenslanders are being slugged with insurance hikes due to skyrocketing crime.
“It’s abundantly clear, the Palaszczuk Labor Government doesn’t have a real plan to fix the Queensland Youth Crime Crisis.
“The LNP will continue to listen to Queenslanders and fight for our solutions to be adopted.
“These RTI documents prove this government is in chaos and crisis.”
Why is Shannon Fentiman hiding the truth from Queenslanders?
The Health Minister’s shocking record on releasing data to Queenslanders has further deteriorated, as she continues to withhold information.
It’s now been 24 days since last quarter’s data was due and it’s nowhere to be seen.
For example, today the Health Minister provided non-public data during Parliament, instead of the quarterly information Queenslanders are calling for.
This is nothing but a blatant misleading use of her own data.
Shannon Fentiman’s record on transparency is worse than her sacked predecessor Yvette D’Ath, and the trouble prone Steven Miles and Cameron Dick.
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said the Health Minister must start being up-front with Queenslanders today, to stop the chaos and crisis.
“Shannon Fentiman promised to be different to Yvette D’Ath,” Ms Bates said.
“She is. She’s worse.
“Shannon Fentiman is yet again releasing a slow trickle of numbers to make herself look good, instead of giving Queenslanders the full picture.
“It’s misleading and simply not good enough.
“Shannon Fentiman must come clean with Queenslanders and release the full health data today.
“Being open and transparent is the only way we can heal the Queensland Health Crisis.
“Queenslanders have put up with the chaos and crisis that has plagued the Palaszczuk Labor Government for far too long and they deserve better.
“The LNP has put solutions on the table to heal the Queensland Health Crisis including better resources, better triaging, sharing data in real-time and putting doctors and nurses back in charge to improve patient care.”
Labor caught duping Queenslanders again
The LNP focuses on the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future
Today the LNP has revealed another false promise from the Palaszczuk Labor Government at its Northshore Hamilton development sites.
200 social housing properties and 1300 private housing developments were proposed for the site, but information acquired through a Question on Notice has revealed it’s yet another Labor media announcement with no substance.
Despite Labor's claims they are delivering the homes, the Question on Notice now reveals the Labor Government has so far failed to secure a contractor for the project yet.
This is simply another example of the Labor Government caring more about how things look rather than how they are for Queenslanders.
Shadow Minister for Housing Tim Mander said Queenslanders who need a home deserve better.
“Labor’s announcements don’t house people, delivery does,” Mr Mander said.
“Labor is too busy making false announcements for the cameras and posting glossy clips on social media to know the priorities of Queenslanders.
“The LNP will deliver on its promises by ensuring the State’s most vulnerable are looked after.”
“The current Housing Crisis lies at the feet of the Palaszczuk Labor Government.
“There is no proponent, there is no contractor, there is no funding, there is no development application, all they are providing is false hope,” Mr Mander said.
“Queenslanders who need a home simply can’t trust Labor.”
The LNP has listened to Queenslanders, that’s why their priorities are our priorities.
The LNP has a plan to help residents climb the home ownership ladder, so the State is on top by 2034.
Right now, Queensland has the lowest home ownership rate of 64%, below the national average of 67%.
An LNP Government will address Queensland’s Housing Crisis by focusing on three key areas, which are:
Queensland’s new Shadow Minister for Home Ownership David Janetzki said one of the greatest challenges and priorities for young people was the opportunity to own their own home.
“For too long, we’ve seen the decline of the great Australian dream," Mr Janetzki said.
“Queensland is last of all the states when it comes to the percentage of people owning their home. That’s not good enough and we shouldn’t accept that.
“Only the LNP has a plan to ensure more Queenslanders have the chance to own their own home.
“That’s why we’ve set our ambitious and visionary 10-year target should Queenslanders elect the LNP to government next year – by 2034 Queensland will have the highest percentage of people owning their own home of all the states in the country, under an LNP Government.
“It’s time to get Queensland back on top, get Queenslanders into home and put this on top of the agenda.”
David Crisafulli releases LNP blueprint for future of Queensland
Queensland LNP Leader David Crisafulli has today launched the LNP’s blueprint for the future of Queensland, one year out from the next election.
The Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future outlines fundamental priorities for an LNP Government, which focus on the issues that matter most to Queenslanders.
The LNP will also today launch a new digital campaign sharing the experiences of Queenslanders who have been let down by Labor’s failures and believe the State Government has the wrong priorities.
The priorities have been developed after listening to thousands of Queenslanders during Health Crisis Town Halls, Backyard Crime Forums, Residential Care forums, community housing provider engagement and meetings with small business owners from every corner of the State.
The five key priority areas for an LNP Government, which will guide policy and decisions, are:
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said for the past three years he and his team had been listening to Queenslanders about their priorities, which had formed the blueprint for Queensland’s future.
“Our blueprint outlines the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future which will guide the policies and decisions of an LNP Government,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“Our priorities are Queenslanders’ priorities, the issues that matter most to them.
“Queensland is the state of opportunity, but for too long we’ve been held back by a Labor Government in chaos and crisis, focused on itself not Queenslanders.
“The next election is about who has the Right Priorities to heal the Queensland Health Crisis, tackle the Queensland Youth Crime Crisis, ease the Queensland Housing Crisis and Cost-of-living crisis.
“We have outlined priorities across every area of Government, to return integrity to government, restore the services Queenslanders need and manage our economy responsibly.
“Our priorities include making our communities safer with more police on the beat, re-writing the Youth Justice Act and reforming early intervention programs.
“Our priorities include easier access to health services by driving-down ambulance ramping and surgery waitlists, as well as reopening maternity services in regional Queensland.
“Our priorities include saving you paying for Labor’s failures by reducing government waste, delivering projects on-time and on-budget and driving-down the cost-of-living.
“Our priorities include securing our housing future by improving housing affordability and increasing home ownership, as well as delivering the infrastructure needed to protect our way of life.
“Our priorities include working harder for Queenslanders with increased student-to-teacher ratios, empowering the public service, and ensuring energy transition is affordable, sustainable and beneficial to all Queenslanders.
“For too long Queenslanders have been forced to endure the chaos and crisis of this Labor Government, but we are charting a new course for Queensland’s future, with the Right Priorities.
“Over the coming months we will be continue visiting every corner of Queensland to speak with Queenslanders about the Right Priorities for Queensland and listen to their stories, their experiences and the issues that matter most to them.”
Labor’s Housing Summit delivers only false hope one year on
Labor fails Queenslanders in need of a home
The LNP is demanding Labor explain why so many key promises from its signature Housing Summit haven’t been delivered, one year on.
Today marks 12 months since the Premier’s Housing Summit and tens of thousands of Queenslanders are struggling to secure or keep a roof over their head as the Queensland Housing Crisis worsens.
One year on, instead of delivering tangible solutions to get Queenslanders into homes, Labor has only delivered failed announcements and false hope.
Vulnerable Queenslanders are still paying the price for the chaos and crisis that has consumed the Palaszczuk Labor Government.
The failed promises include:
LABOR’S HOUSING ANNOUNCEMENT #1
At the first Housing Roundtable the Palaszczuk Government announced it would convert Griffith University student accommodation into social housing in six months.
RESULT: FAILED TO DELIVER
After a little over six months and $2m down the drain, the project spectacularly collapsed.
LABOR’S HOUSING ANNOUNCEMENT #2
At the first roundtable, the Premier announced that there were 90 parcels of land made available by the Catholic Church.
RESULT: FAILED TO DELIVER
Labor has not revealed how many parcels of land have had construction start so Queenslanders can have a home.
LABOR’S HOUSING ANNOUNCMENT #3
At the Housing Summit, the Housing Investment Fund, first announced two years ago, was “doubled” in size.
RESULT: FAILED TO DELIVER
The fund has not built a single home.
RESULT: FAILED TO DELIVER
The first two projects announced as part of the fund were unit blocks in Chermside and Redcliffe, which were meant to have their first tenants by September 2023 and September 2024 respectively, but both projects have now been delayed by a year.
LABOR’S HOUSING ANNOUNCEMENT #4
At the Housing Summit, the Premier announced that the Department of Housing would work with Australian War Widows to use properties offered by the organisation for housing vulnerable Queenslanders.
RESULT: FAILED TO DELIVER
Labor failed to reveal how many of those properties are now housing Queenslanders.
LABOR’S HOUSING ANNOUNCEMENT #5
In November, the Palaszczuk Government announced a QBuild Rapid Accommodation and Apprenticeship Centre at Eagle Farm, having the capacity to produce one prefabricated home per week, and 80 last financial year.
RESULT: FAILED TO DELIVER
Labor only built two by the end of June, and will now only deliver 30 each year when at full capacity.
LABOR’S HOUSING ANNOUNCEMENT #6
In January, the Palaszczuk Government said it has the state’s largest concentrated investment in social housing.
RESULT: FAILED TO DELIVER
Yet, for the second year running a Productivity Commission report revealed the Palaszczuk Government had actually spent the least on social housing per capita compared to any other state or territory.
RESULT: FAILED TO DELIVER
The same productivity commission report found that the Palaszczuk Government had overseen a reduction in the number of Community Housing dwellings. Queensland was the only state or territory where this occurred.
RESULT: FAILED TO DELIVER
Further to this, State-owned indigenous housing numbers have also fallen since 2018, as well as Indigenous Community Housing. That is despite the government gloating about over $1.6b investment over the same period.
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said it was clear after an entire year all Labor’s Housing Summit had delivered is false hope not homes.
“It’s a year since the Labor Government finally accepted responsibility for the Queensland Housing Crisis yet it’s only got worse and still no one has been held accountable for that failure,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“The LNP has put solutions on the table to ease the Queensland Housing Crisis, including prioritising infrastructure partnerships with local government to unlock more land for housing, unleashing the community housing sector and setting KPIs and delivering social housing projects on-time and on-budget.”
Shadow Housing Minister Tim Mander said a year on it was clear Labor’s Housing Summit was a spectacular media stunt designed to help the Premier instead of vulnerable Queensland families who were desperate to get a roof over their head.
“For the past 12 months, every metric and measure fell short of what was promised to Queenslanders,” Mr Mander said.
“The Labor Government promised more homes, more land, more construction, more partnerships, and more investment but have only delivered failure after failure.
“After nine years in office, Queenslanders no longer trust the Palaszczuk Labor Government because they can’t deliver.
“Vulnerable Queenslanders are caught in the middle of the chaos and crisis that has engulfed the Palaszczuk Labor Government.”
Angry Sunshine Coast residents have hit out at the Palaszczuk Labor Government after Kawana was named as a potential site for a multi-billion dollar desalination plant.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Kawana MP Jarrod Bleijie said Sunshine Coast residents have been left anxious and confused by the Premier’s announcement and shocking lack of detail.
“The chaos and crisis within the Palaszczuk Labor Government has reached a whole new level and Kawana is now caught in the crossfire with these plans to dump a desal plant in Kawana," Mr Bleijie said.
“Where in Kawana will it be built?
“Which Kawana beach will it be on?
“Will it be where Loggerhead turtles nest?
“The Premier hasn’t ruled these out and she can’t answer basic questions.
“This was Labor’s highly touted 30 year water plan that has done nothing but cause concern on the Sunshine Coast.
“There was no warning or consultation.
“It’s disgraceful how the Premier has treated Sunshine Coast residents.
“You can’t just throw up possible locations without any detail.
“This is the definition of chaos and crisis.
“After nearly nine years in power, the Palaszczuk Labor Government has stopped listening to Queenslanders.
“I won’t stop listening to locals and fighting to keep our beaches free from Labor’s desal debacle.”
CRITICAL INTEGRITY LAWS INTRODUCED TO PARLIAMENT
The LNP has today introduced the Crime and Corruption Amendment Bill to Parliament in a bid to restore integrity in government that has been trashed under Labor.
The Private Members Bill will fix the Crime and Corruption Act 2001 (CCA) because the Palaszczuk Labor Government has failed to do so.
It will confirm the power of the CCC to release reports following corruption investigations.
The LNP has been forced to take this action due to the Labor Government’s inaction.
The new law would be retrospective to allow the CCC’s reports into Labor mate Peter Carne and former Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to be made public.
This Bill addresses the deficiency in the law identified by the High Court in the recent decision of Crime and Corruption Commission v. Carne [2023] HCA 28.
The Crime and Corruption Amendment Bill will:
Shadow Attorney-General Tim Nicholls said the LNP had been forced to take this action.
“If the Labor Government believes in openness and transparency, they have no choice but to support this Bill,” Mr Nicholls said.
“By failing to act and act urgently Labor is acting only to protect itself, protect its Labor mates and protect its re-election prospects.
“The LNP Opposition is doing what this Government should have been in a position to do almost immediately after the High Court decision was delivered.
"I understand why many Queenslanders might refer to this Bill as 'Trad's Law'.
“We will act to fix the deficiencies in the Crime and Corruption Act and along the way implement other longstanding and outstanding matters recommended by past inquiries.
“We will act to restore the integrity that is so sorely missing under the Labor Government.”
150 days after review, Queenslanders remain in the dark on Labor cuts
150 days after the Federal Government announced a “90-day Review” of road and rail project funding, Queenslanders are still waiting to hear if local infrastructure projects will be on Labor’s chopping block.
More than $14 billion of local infrastructure projects are at risk of being cancelled, but Labor is refusing to tell Queenslanders which of the 90 projects will be cut.
The LNP is today calling on the Palaszczuk Labor Government to reveal which projects will be hit by Labor’s chopping block.
We've heard crickets from Labor and it's unacceptable they’re not being up-front with Queenslanders.
We know Minister King received a report weeks ago, the Palaszczuk Government must now reveal what they know and fight for this critical infrastructure for Queensland.
The Palaszczuk Labor Government has been too busy dealing with its own chaos and crisis to fight for our State's fair share.
While residents sit frozen behind the wheel, this review is on a road to nowhere.
This is just another example of Labor caring more about how things look than how they actually are.
Queenslanders deserve access to world class public transport and roads, so if the Premier won't roll up her sleeves and get these crucial projects back on track, we will.
Today we've written to the Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, calling on the Federal Government to back Queensland projects.
This cannot go on for another day.
We are on team Maroon and will continue to fight for Queensland.
The significance of the decision to launch a new Commission of Inquiry into failures at the Queensland DNA Lab cannot be overstated.
We will now have a Commission of Inquiry into the original Commission of Inquiry.
The failures at the DNA Lab are why we made the decision to fight for another Commission of Inquiry into the Lab.
Labor ignored this first time. They ignored it the second time.
But on both occasions the right result was secured for Queensland.
This is not about a Government backflipping, once again.
It’s not about another under-pressure Labor Minister being forced into an embarrassing about face yet again as they face increasing pressure.
It’s not about a Government who fought against the very position they have now adopted, again.
It’s not about a Government who appallingly lobbied victims to get their way.
This was always about getting justice for victims.
This was always about keeping the community safe and rebuilding faith in our justice system.
The knowledge that perpetrators of the most heinous crimes could be walking our streets because of failures at the Lab, and that this Government kept its head in the sand again for so long, will have infuriated Queenslanders to no end.
I committed many times to Vicki Blackburn that I would leave no stone unturned to deliver the justice she deserves.
I vowed to keep fighting to get justice for Shandee, and to stand up for all victims affected by these failures.
Today is the result of a mountain work by Vicki Blackburn, Dr Kirsty Wright and journalists who refused to back down. They should all be commended for what they have achieved.
The community deserves more than a Government surviving from one media cycle to the next.
Queenslanders deserve to know their safety will always be the priority of their Government.
10-word text message costs Queenslanders $2 million
Bombshell documents expose Labor chaos and crisis
Labor’s signature housing solution was last-minute announcement-on-the-run
New bombshell documents have exposed how a Palaszczuk Labor Government signature housing solution was nothing more than a last-minute media announcement in a saga that cost Queenslanders at least $2 million and delivered nothing but false hope.
Nearly 2000 pages of Right to Information documents have been released to the LNP and finally reveal the true story about Labor’s failed Griffith University housing announcement.
The LNP has released the documents to Queenslanders this morning which can be downloaded here.
The extraordinary documents prove Labor’s failed plan to convert derelict accommodation at Griffith University into emergency housing was dreamt up overnight before being announced as official policy by the Premier at Labor’s so-called Housing Roundtable.
The document reveals the plan came from a ten-word text message sent by a senior Labor Government official to Griffith University, “want to use Mt Gravatt student residences for crisis accom”.
Labor was desperate to deliver a media announcement for the under-pressure Premier, rather than develop genuine solutions to fix the Queensland Housing Crisis.
Ultimately, the flawed media announcement was dumped by the Government seven months after it was first announced, and after at least $2 million of taxpayers’ money was spent.
The documents also reveal:
Shadow Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie said Queenslanders had paid a high price for Labor’s chaos and crisis.
“This is the definition of chaotic policy on the run, where a last-minute text message cost Queenslanders at least $2 million and didn’t deliver a single home,” Mr Bleijie said.
“In the middle of the Queensland Housing Crisis, Labor was more focused on building an announcement for themselves than building a roof over the heads of Queenslanders.
“This is an affront to the 40,000 Queenslanders desperately waiting for social housing.
“Labor’s housing summit headline never stacked-up and it was always about announcing their way out of a media crisis, not delivering genuine solutions to the Queensland Housing Crisis.
“Queenslanders deserve a government that makes decisions based on what’s best for our State, not what's best for their political future.”
LNP reiterates call for Commission of Inquiry to be reopened to examine failures
The LNP is today reiterating its call for the Health Minister and the Palaszczuk Labor Government to immediately reopen the Commission of Inquiry into the failings of the DNA Laboratory.
For Queenslanders to have faith in our justice system, they need to know the catastrophic failures of the DNA Lab have been addressed.
New revelations of the failings of Project 13 are grounds for the Inquiry to re-open.
This is too important to be ignored or swept under the carpet.
One week has passed since the LNP stood beside Vicki Blackburn calling for the Inquiry to be reopened and the Labor Government has remained silent.
It was only in the glare of intense media and public pressure did the Labor Government finally agree to the Commission of Inquiry.
Now, we cannot allow these concerning revelations to languish, we must bring this investigation into the light.
The chaos and crisis of this Government must not stand in the way of the truth.
The Commission of Inquiry must be reopened.
Today, the Minister must also confirm if any additional cases have been compromised by Project 13’s failures.
Last week the Government said no cases above and beyond the 30,000 had been identified as compromised by the failings of the DNA Lab.
Today the Minister must confirm if this is still the case?
Even if one additional case has been impacted, Queenslanders need to know.
The rebuilding of trust in the DNA Lab is so critical and the impact to the Justice system is so great, this must be brought into the light.
Minister must release secret report into Callide power plant outages
This summer Queenslanders are set to pay the price of the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s failure to maintain power plants, with energy prices set to soar.
Today, Minister de Brenni must explain to Queenslanders how much more they’ll be paying for electricity this summer as a result of two key power plants remaining offline for more than two years.
Queenslanders are already paying the steepest rises in electricity costs, with CPI showing power prices have skyrocketed 25.4% in one year, and this is only set to get worse the longer these power plants remain offline in what is already predicted to be a hot summer.
Both the Auditor-General and the Queensland Competition Authority have exposed the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s failures with the Callide power plants are directly responsible for higher electricity costs.
Queenslanders deserve a government that drives-down cost pressures on electricity, not a government that continues to add more pressure in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.
The best way to drive down electricity costs for Queenslanders is for our power plants to be operating and properly maintained.
That’s why the LNP has announced its Maintenance Guarantee for power plants.
This summer, every time a Queenslander switches a light on or uses their air-conditioning this summer, they’ll be paying the price of Labor’s failures.
The chaos and crisis of this Government is another big bill Queenslanders are left to pay.
Today, Minister de Brenni must also release a critical report into the explosion at Callide C, which Queenslanders are waiting to see more than two years after it was commissioned.
This report must be released in full so Queenslanders have the truth about what happened at Callide and to ensure the same mistakes aren’t repeated.
Further delaying the release of this report shows the Labor Government is not focused on the issues that matter to Queenslanders.
Minister de Brenni tried to tell Queenslanders his failures wouldn’t hit Queenslanders in the hip pocket, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Queenslanders deserve better than the chaos and crisis they’re getting from this Labor Government.
The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service annual report confirms that under Labor the dangers faced by Queenslanders are increasing.
Alarmingly, the report shows we have lost 1,900 Rural Fire Service volunteers, five Rural Fire Brigades and 650 SES volunteers in the last 12 months alone.
To pretend that reductions like this don’t increase the danger faced by the community is misleading and a direct result of Labor’s chaos and crisis.
Minister Mark Ryan has previously said the decline in volunteer numbers was due to Blue Card requirements and outdated information.
He has had four years to address those issues but instead of improving the situation, it’s only getting worse.
Queenslanders know that Minister Ryan stood by while the number of Police Officers fell.
They now have even more proof that under Minister Ryan and Labor, the number of brave volunteers that Queenslanders call on in their time of need is also falling.
Queenslanders deserve to feel safe, something Labor and Minister Ryan obviously can’t deliver.
Figures at June 30 2023 are on Pages 10 & 11 of report available here:
Figures at June 30 2022 are on Page 10 & 11 of report available here:
https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-09/QFES-2021-22%20Annual-Report-Full-Report.pdf
